Vacuum-tube relay



Dec. 10, 1929. s. RUBEN VACUUM TUBE RELAY Filed Dec. 17. 1926 avwemtoz r v SAMUEL RUBEN 351 ail lime W I GIIGI' Patented Dec. 10, 1929 saucer. RUBEN, or new roan, N. 1, AS

SIGNOB T RUBEN PATENTS COMPANY, OF

NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORIORATION OF DELAWARE VACUUM-TUBE RELAY Application filed December 17, 1926. Serial No. 155,541.

This invention relates to a vacuum tube relay; and more particularly it relates to an improved form of vacuum tube relay employing the electronic bombardment ofan anode composed of a metal having a high positive coeificient of resistance, as controlled by electrical impulses grid impressed upon its circuit to yary the current discharge Zhrough a local circuit including'the ano e, .aiode connected also in the cathode anode circuit. I

The object of the invention is to provide a relay sensitively responsive to grid potential changes to control current in a local circuit in which the anode is connected.

For certain uses the apparatus constitutes an improvement upon those relay devices described in my prior and copendingapplications bearing Serial Numbers 534,213; 551,- 678; 754,957 and 23,581, filed respectively February 4, 1922; April 11, 1922; December 10, 1924 and April 16, 1925.

'. The apparatus constructed according to the terms of my invention employs the kinetic of the electronic discharge upon the ano e as varied by incremental values by grid potential changes to control the electrical resistance of and the current discharge through a local circuit in which isconnected the anode having a high positive thermal coeflicient of resistance. For the anode element, I employ iron, preferably a thin wire or strip, which for operation is heated to 'just below the critical temperature of 500 C. at which its electrical resistance coefficient rapidly increases to many times its initial value. Heat is applied by a normal current discharge through the local circuit and by electronic bombardment of the anode; when just below the critical point, by reducing the density of the electronic bombardment in very slight degree, the temperature and the resistance of the anode droprapidly to a point at which the current flows more freely therethrough, and the response in increase of resistance and temperature. is as prompt; t

requires but an incremental variation of the bombardment which is secured by potential changes of the grid circuit. To assist in cool changing the electrical resistance of the.

. ed by grid -110l'l wire anode 10. Filament 1 having leads ing the anode, that element is blackened, the

radiation factor being thereby. greatly increased and, due to the small mass when the wire is at high temperatures, rapid radiation occurs.

For a better understanding of the principles of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings of one embodiment thereof, in difierent views, and as, connected in a radio receiving circuit.

Fig. lis an elevation of the relay; Fig. 2, a more detailed view of the relay elements, shown by plan view in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows a radio receiving circuit with a relay connected' therein and Fig. 5,.a graph of the relation between the wire temperature and current'flow.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, 0 represents a glass envelop containing in its highly evacuated space filament 1, surround- 8, and outside of the grid black 6 and.7, is supported at 3 by wire 4, supported by glass bead resting on one of the conductlngwire rods 2 which carry grid 8, the lead from whichis at 9. Anode 10 consists of an iron wire wound outside of the grid upon conducting rods 11, connected by leads 12 and 13 (the latter throu h conducting base 14) with the cathode-ano e circuitand with the local circuit to be controlled.

In Fig. 4, B is a battery for re lating the grid potential, B 39. heat source or filament 1, 13 a potential control for the cathode anode circuit; B, a heating source for the anode. At 15 and 16 respectively are a coilfhaving a movable armature and a contact make and break device actuated by the movement of the armature of coil-15. Fig. 5 is a graph of the relationship between the current dis char e and temperature.

. en filament 1 is he ted to incandescence by battery B, at dvolts, and a ,plate'potential of 150 volts applied from battery B there is a discharge of electrons trom the cathode to'the black wire anode-10. With the bombardment of anode 10by the electron stream,

the anode tem erature rises beyond that at which the ano e is'normallymaintained by a current discharge through the local circuit grid, the density of th from battery B reaches about 500 C. the anode resistance is about 10 times its normal room temperature value, thereby causing a large reduction of current flow through that circuit. The normal plate resistance included in the local circuit at C. is 40 ohms. When the filament is heated, due to the radiation effect, it increases to 48 ohms; but with an electron bombardment of 10 milliamperes at 150 volts plate potential, the plate resistance is 400 ohms.

By applying a negative potential to the e impacting electron stream is reduced, thereby permitting the anode to cool by heat radiation, its resistance to drop and higher current to flow through the circuit. Superposi ng a potential on the grid circuit, as obtained from an'inductance by a transformer or the like, the density of the electron stream is raised, the

temperature and the resistance of the anode increased and the current flow through the 10- cal circuit greatly reduced. Assuming the contacts of the device 16 to be closed normally by the pressure of the armature of coil 15, as the current through that coil is varied-in response to electronic bombardment variations, the armature moves within the field, opening and closing the contacts of 16 and thereby regulating the circuit of which it is a member.

Any device controlled by this anode local circuit may be adjusted to operate by a closed or an open circuit.

For operation upon certain circuits, as a submarine cable, I prefer a. bridge circuit included in the local circuit, the anode comprising one'arm of the bridge circuit. As the according to whether a dot or a dash of the telegraphic code is being sent, the resistance of the anode incre ses or decreases and unbal-.

ances the bridge ircuit and causes the operation of the siphon recorder.

What I claim is:

1. Vacuum tube apparatus comprising, in combination, an' electron emission element constituting a cathode, a cooperating anode a-ving apositive thermal coefficient of resistance and being responsive to variations of electronimpact, means for substantially increasing the responsiveness by heating-the anode to a critical temperature, a modulating element interposed between the cathode and anode, and translating means connected in the local circuit connecting the cathode and anode. v

2. Vacuum tube apparatus comprising, in combination, an electron emission element constituting a cathode, a cooperating anode having a surface composed of a material having a positive thermal coefiicient of resistance and being responsive to variations of electron impact, means forsubstantially increasing when its temperature the responsiveness by heating the anode to a critical temperature, a modulating element interposed between the cathode and anode, and translating means connected in the local circuit connecting the cathode and anode.

3. The combination, within a vacuumtube, with an electron emission element, of a cooperating anode separated therefrom by a conducti e gap, and having a surface composed of a material having a positive thermal coeflicient of resistance and being responsive to variations of electron impact, means for substantially increasing the responsiveness by heating the anode to a critical temperature, and means for varying the electron stream flowing between the emission element and the anode.

4. A thermionic amplifying device of the type described, comprisin within its vacuous space, means for pro ucing an electron stream, a grid, a grid circuit for controlling the electron stream, and an anode element in an external circuit with the cathode and composed of a material having a positive thermal of current supply for heating the anode in input in a cable circuit is varied in polarity another local circuit.

6. Vacuum tube apparatus comprising, in combination, an electron emitting cathode, an anode composed of iron, and connected in a local circuit with the cathode, a modulating element interposed between the cathode and the anode, another local circuit in which the anode and a current supply are included, and translating means connected in the local circuit and arranged to be affected by resistance variations in the anode.

7. Vacuum tube apparatus comprising, in combination, an electron emittin cathode, an'anode connected by a local circuit with the cathode and having a surface composed of iron, a modulating element interposed be: tween the cathode and the anode, another local ciruit in which the anode and a current supply are included, and translating means connected in the second mentioned local circuit and arranged to be affected by resistance variations in the anode.

8. The combination, with an electron emitting cathode, ofa wire anode separated theresurface being composed of iron, and means for varying the electron stream flowing between the cathode and anode, the anode being also connected in another external circuit with a source of current supply.

9. The combination with an electron emitting cathode, ofan anode separated from the cathode by a conductivegap and connected with the cathode by an external circuit, and having a surface composed of a metal having a positive thermal coefilcient of resistance, and means for varying the electron stream between the cathode and anode, the anode being also connected in another external circuit with a source of current. supply.

In testimony whereof, SAMUEL RUBEN has signed his name to this specification, this 23rd day of November, 1926.

SAMUEL RUBEN. 

